Anyone ever get a speeding ticket in Lawtey Fl?

[KYSeminole]

I was driving on 301 S last week and got a ticket saying I went through a 25mph school zone at 39mph with yellow lights flashing.
i am from Ky and was on my way to visit my mom in a Nursing home in Hernando. I have never had any kind of ticket in my 66
year old life. I told officer I did not see any flashing lights and would never speed through them. Said he cut me a break because I was
really going 42mph and would really have increased my fine. Ticket is for $291. Some say I should fight it but I live in Ky and not sure
at the end of the day I would save any money. Tickets actually says that if I want a hearing, I could be found liable up to $500 if found
guilty. Should I just accept it and move on? Was in a town called Lawtey.

 

[Seminolejon78]

Very sorry that is the kind of welcome you got to Florida. There is a long history of speed traps in the little towns along 301. Hampton and Waldo have notorious histories. Hampton extended its city limits across 301 just to be able to nail speeders. I think they either had their town charter revoked or were at least in jeopardy of losing it.

It doesn’t sound like you have much recourse other than to pay the fine.

 

[KYSeminole]

Thanks for responding.

 

[Deerfuel2]

I was driving on 301 S last week and got a ticket saying I went through a 25mph school zone at 39mph with yellow lights flashing.
i am from Ky and was on my way to visit my mom in a Nursing home in Hernando. I have never had any kind of ticket in my 66
year old life. I told officer I did not see any flashing lights and would never speed through them. Said he cut me a break because I was
really going 42mph and would really have increased my fine. Ticket is for $291. Some say I should fight it but I live in Ky and not sure
at the end of the day I would save any money. Tickets actually says that if I want a hearing, I could be found liable up to $500 if found
guilty. Should I just accept it and move on? Was in a town called Lawtey.

I got one in that same exact school zone. Going 46 in a 45, but it was a school zone that I wasn't aware of. $441. A 98lb hair lipped officer gave me my ticket. It would have been comical, if not so expensive

 

[THawk]

I was driving on 301 S last week and got a ticket saying I went through a 25mph school zone at 39mph with yellow lights flashing.
i am from Ky and was on my way to visit my mom in a Nursing home in Hernando. I have never had any kind of ticket in my 66
year old life. I told officer I did not see any flashing lights and would never speed through them. Said he cut me a break because I was
really going 42mph and would really have increased my fine. Ticket is for $291. Some say I should fight it but I live in Ky and not sure
at the end of the day I would save any money. Tickets actually says that if I want a hearing, I could be found liable up to $500 if found
guilty. Should I just accept it and move on? Was in a town called Lawtey.

Ticket Clinic

 

[squiffynole]

You were caught in infamous speed trap.

 

[Nole-4-Life]

Yep...got one about 20 years ago. Exact same situation. School zone I never saw.

 

[Dr. Nole]

I’d pay it and do the online “course” to get the insurance points taken off.

 

[F4Gary]

 

[squiffynole]

https://www.firstcoastnews.com/arti...n-fights-to-shed-its-scarlet-aaa/77-557597677

“It seemed to be an issue of the amount of revenue that was generated from traffic citations,” Bennett says. At one time, more than 70 percent of Lawtey’s budget came from ticket revenue. That’s down to about 49 percent today. And while that seems high, Bennet says it’s less a reflection of the number of tickets officers write -- about 15 a day – than the town’s tiny tax base.

 

[Nole-4-Life]

The same thing happens a few miles south in Waldo.

 

[chumleynole]

The mind-blowing part about Jameis and analysis of his career to date is the fact everyone ignores the teams surrounding him. Granted, if he throws 22 INTs instead of 30, the BUCs are probably in the playoffs. That doesn't mean you overlook the OL, RB, K and defensive issues that plagued the BUCS his entire 5 years and that directly contributed to JW not having a better 5 years. Criticize him for 30 INTs all day. Don't ignore the other issues that caused more Ls than Ws for the BUCS.

It’s confounding...

I drove through Lawtey, Starke, Hampton and Waldo twice a day for about 20 years. 2 tickets in Lawtey, 1 each for Hampton and Starke. Hampton police department got in trouble for corruption and disbanded several years ago. Waldo also got in trouble for quotas and had to shut their doors. The Lawtey cops are on 301 every day. If you get pulled over you are getting a ticket.

 

[goldmom]

The same thing happens a few miles south in Waldo.

I think they ended up disbanding their police force and just turned public safety over to the County Sheriff.

 

[FisherWilcoxTaggart Survivor]

I was driving on 301 S last week and got a ticket saying I went through a 25mph school zone at 39mph with yellow lights flashing.
i am from Ky and was on my way to visit my mom in a Nursing home in Hernando. I have never had any kind of ticket in my 66
year old life. I told officer I did not see any flashing lights and would never speed through them. Said he cut me a break because I was
really going 42mph and would really have increased my fine. Ticket is for $291. Some say I should fight it but I live in Ky and not sure
at the end of the day I would save any money. Tickets actually says that if I want a hearing, I could be found liable up to $500 if found
guilty. Should I just accept it and move on? Was in a town called Lawtey.

Florida still has a bunch of (crappy) little towns where speeding tickets are the #1 industry (or at least a Top 3). And, during Covid, some of these fine folks are super-active as they need more ticket revenue to compensate for lesser ordinary tax revenue.

Just pay it. Sounds like your only "defense" would be if the cop fails to post for the trial, but I'd never risk that in Bradford County.

FSU fans traveling to/from Tallahassee know to slow-the-hell-down in Madison and Jefferson Counties....the troopers get in their ambush spots and just feed off of FSU saps going back and forth.

Hope your Mom is OK. I am the absentee owner of a cattle ranch near Hernando.

Welcome to the Sunshine State.

 

[Deerfuel2]

Florida still has a bunch of (crappy) little towns where speeding tickets are the #1 industry (or at least a Top 3). And, during Covid, some of these fine folks are super-active as they need more ticket revenue to compensate for lesser ordinary tax revenue.

Just pay it. Sounds like your only "defense" would be if the cop fails to post for the trial, but I'd never risk that in Bradford County.

FSU fans traveling to/from Tallahassee know to slow-the-hell-down in Madison and Jefferson Counties....the troopers get in their ambush spots and just feed off of FSU saps going back and forth.

Hope your Mom is OK. I am the absentee owner of a cattle ranch near Hernando.

Welcome to the Sunshine State.

I've never been pulled over on that stretch of I-10. Do they pull folks over at 80 mph? I cruise at 80 and never have an issue.

 

[FisherWilcoxTaggart Survivor]

I've never been pulled over on that stretch of I-10. Do they pull folks over at 80 mph? I cruise at 80 and never have an issue.

Do you drive that olive green Rambler?? I think I have passed you.

 

[goldmom]

I've never been pulled over on that stretch of I-10. Do they pull folks over at 80 mph? I cruise at 80 and never have an issue.

Maybe you don't go over on Gameday with FSU flags and sticker magnets on your car. I've seen them with as many as five FSU Cars pulled over, all in a line.
Meanwhile, going in the other direction, if the lizards have a home game, their fans are headed in the other direction cruising at 85+ with no problems. 😡

 

[Deerfuel2]

Do you drive that olive green Rambler?? I think I have passed you.

I don't, but I would

 

[FisherWilcoxTaggart Survivor]

Maybe you don't go over on Gameday with FSU flags and sticker magnets on your car. I've seen them with as many as five FSU Cars pulled over, all in a line.
Meanwhile, going in the other direction, if the lizards have a home game, their fans are headed in the other direction cruising at 85+ with no problems. 😡

^^^^^Bubbas definitely populate the FHP. As soon as the weekend ends — ahead of their quotas — these guys retreat to their favorite coffee and doughnut shops. Write a few tickets Monday through Thursday, and then gear up for the next game weekend. LOL.

 

[KYSeminole]

Maybe you don't go over on Gameday with FSU flags and sticker magnets on your car. I've seen them with as many as five FSU Cars pulled over, all in a line.
Meanwhile, going in the other direction, if the lizards have a home game, their fans are headed in the other direction cruising at 85+ with no problems. 😡

I do have an FSU license plate.

 

[-OB1-]

Be careful & read that ticket. I got one once that basically stated I had a court hearing. I was just going to pay it & go on with my life. Turned out no matter if I paid it or not I had to show. Luckily a friend of mine gave me a heads up. If you no show the court date they suspended your license & you have to pay the ticket, & pay again to get your license back. Quite the racket. 😆

 

[KYSeminole]

Ticket says where to mail payment or pay online and means pleading guilty. Has a separate option to request
hearing. Does warn you that if you contest and lose the hearing, you may be responsible for up to $500 in
costs on top of $291 ticket. Aggravating as never had a ticket in my life. I am a little leery about these online
ticket lawyers as you prepay $150 and they will let you know what happens. Since my mom now lives in Hernando
nursing home, I will be driving thru there alot and am tempted to just pay and be done with it. I am usually a
fighter but have too many things going on right now.

 

[-OB1-]

Ticket says where to mail payment or pay online and means pleading guilty. Has a separate option to request
hearing. Does warn you that if you contest and lose the hearing, you may be responsible for up to $500 in
costs on top of $291 ticket. Aggravating as never had a ticket in my life. I am a little leery about these online
ticket lawyers as you prepay $150 and they will let you know what happens. Since my mom now lives in Hernando
nursing home, I will be driving thru there alot and am tempted to just pay and be done with it. I am usually a
fighter but have too many things going on right now.

Trust me just pay it. These little city courts are just kangaroo. I’ve been in them. Got one in a rinky dink town in Alabama that does the same thing as the one you got yours in. They are revenuing. Guy popped me on the interstate underneath his exit bridge saying I was doing 88 when I know my cruise was set on 75. He clocked an Escalade & pulled me over instead. I told him politely I think you got the wrong guy, but you how that went. Got a lawyer buddy of mine to go up & contest it. I got out of it but it took like 7 months. We had to go to court at least 3 times & eventually got out of it in the county circuit court on a technicality. Had I known all the time it was going to take me prior I’d have just paid the damn thing. 😄

 

[FisherWilcoxTaggart Survivor]

Trust me just pay it. These little city courts are just kangaroo. I’ve been in them. Got one in a rinky dink town in Alabama that does the same thing as the one you got yours in. They are revenuing. Guy popped me on the interstate underneath his exit bridge saying I was doing 88 when I know my cruise was set on 75. He clocked an Escalade & pulled me over instead. I told him politely I think you got the wrong guy, but you how that went. Got a lawyer buddy of mine to go up & contest it. I got out of it but it took like 7 months. We had to go to court at least 3 times & eventually got out of it in the county circuit court on a technicality. Had I known all the time it was going to take me prior I’d have just paid the damn thing. 😄

I got a ticket in one of the infamous speed trap towns near Statesboro, Georgia. The speed limit changed from "70" to "35" with no advance warning, and, of course, Barney Fife is hiding in the woods about 100 feet from the "35" sign. Boom....pops me doing 70, which has some potentially serious insurance implications given the magnitude of the violation.

I hired the "connected" lawyer in that crappy little town, who, of course, specializes in such dismal matters. He made the whole thing "go away," as in literally. I paid him $1,000, and I speculate it was $400 to the city, $300 to the Judge and $300 to the lawyer.....all paperwork magically disappeared with a single phone call. Gross little cottage industry.

 

[MoreToPrideNole850]

Welcome to Florida.

 

[Nole-4-Life]

I think they ended up disbanding their police force and just turned public safety over to the County Sheriff.

You're right.

 

[NoleMac]

I live in Lawtey. I received my first ticket in Lawtey. It's not as bad as it was. The speed limit is up (it was 35), but with that being said, if the yellow lights are blinking you are getting a ticket (if you are speeding).

Thank you for your donation, the tax base appreciates it.

 

[goldmom]

I live in Lawtey. I received my first ticket in Lawtey. It's not as bad as it was. The speed limit is up (it was 35), but with that being said, if the yellow lights are blinking you are getting a ticket (if you are speeding).

Thank you for your donation, the tax base appreciates it.

Impressive. Someone who admits they actually LIVE in Lawtey. 😉

 

[soflanolefan87]

 

[NoleMac]

Impressive. Someone who admits they actually LIVE in Lawtey. 😉

Yes, like I admit that I grew up and went to school in Jacksonville. Not sure which one is better, but I will give you a clue....
I don't live in Jacksonville.



Actually, I don't 'live' in Lawtey, it's my postal zone....... I live in 'Boogerville'.... at the end of the dirt road.

 

[goldmom]

Oh my. Acreage?

 

[NoleMac]

A few.

 

[colconole]

Ticketclinic.com I've heard it worked never used it and don't know the cost

 

[denvernole]

I am not a lawyer, but as the recipient of numerous speeding tickets from across this country, I've learned a couple of things.
Ignore it. Your license is in Kentucky. However, if KY and FL have a deal where KY will enforce the fine on you in KY
and mess with your license, then you're screwed.
A few years ago I fortunately found that Minnesota and Colorado have no such agreement, Lucky me. Just don't go on 301 again. And most importantly, pay attention.

 

[FisherWilcoxTaggart Survivor]

I am not a lawyer, but as the recipient of numerous speeding tickets from across this country, I've learned a couple of things.
Ignore it. Your license is in Kentucky. However, if KY and FL have a deal where KY will enforce the fine on you in KY
and mess with your license, then you're screwed.
A few years ago I fortunately found that Minnesota and Colorado have no such agreement, Lucky me. Just don't go on 301 again. And most importantly, pay attention.

Sorry, I think this is horrible advice. Not only can the reciprocating states “mess with your license,” you can actually be arrested if the wrong Bubba is having a slow day/night and you somehow piss him off.

Closing the loopholes is relatively easy and inexpensive, and beats the hell out of spending a night in some backwoods jail.

You guys need to go check out jails in places like Bradford, Gilchrist and Union Counties. Avoid them, especially if you are handcuffed at the time.

 

[goldmom]

Sorry, I think this is horrible advice. Not only can the reciprocating states “mess with your license,” you can actually be arrested if the wrong Bubba is having a slow day/night and you somehow piss him off.

Closing the loopholes is relatively easy and inexpensive, and beats the hell out of spending a night in some backwoods jail.

You guys need to go check out jails in places like Bradford, Gilchrist and Union Counties. Avoid them, especially if you are handcuffed at the time.

NOT good advice - back in the 80's my husband got a ticket in Wisconsin and was assigned to driving class (they're jerks in Madison) but we moved before he could get in the class. He got a driver's license with no problem in Texas but years later when he went to renew it, Texas was then reciprocal with Wisconsin and they wouldn't let him renew until he took a similar class there.
All states are now online and share info.

 

[FisherWilcoxTaggart Survivor]

NOT good advice - back in the 80's my husband got a ticket in Wisconsin and was assigned to driving class (they're jerks in Madison) but we moved before he could get in the class. He got a driver's license with no problem in Texas but years later when he went to renew it, Texas was then reciprocal with Wisconsin and they wouldn't let him renew until he took a similar class there.
All states are now online and share info.

Interesting point in your last sentence: law enforcement today is very different than it was 30-40 years ago.....all of the agencies have the same fingertip information, and can communicate with each other -- across the nation -- in real time.

Generally, that's great.....if anyone has watched the Ted Bundy chronicles, you can see how primitive and unsophisticated our law enforcement resources were at that time. Basically, law enforcement communicated by telephones and low-tech radios, and they did not have available centralized (or shared) data bases. So Ted would escape from jail and the "police response" was slow, localized, primitive and (obviously) ineffective.

 

[Seminolejon78]

Impressive. Someone who admits they actually LIVE in Lawtey. 😉

Confession time for me. I was born in Bradford County. My dad was principal at the school in Lawtey and then later at Bradford HS. We lived in Starke but moved to Tally in 1962. My grandmother is buried in a tiny cemetery just outside Brooker.

 

[PoopandBoogers]

That small stretch of road between Lawtey and Waldo on 301 is one of old Fl's lesser known rackets (below big sugar, casino, pain mgt, time shares etc). They used to have billboards counting down the mileage warning of the speedtraps. At one point one of the towns got so pissed they put up their own, just past an original one, declaring the the town was not a speedtrap, using the same color and font of the original warning signs. Seems the local graphic artist and billboard co had a local hustle all their own as well.

 

[NoleMac]

That small stretch of road between Lawtey and Waldo on 301 is one of old Fl's lesser known rackets (below big sugar, casino, pain mgt, time shares etc). They used to have billboards counting down the mileage warning of the speedtraps. At one point one of the towns got so pissed they put up their own, just past an original one, declaring the the town was not a speedtrap, using the same color and font of the original warning signs. Seems the local graphic artist and billboard co had a local hustle all their own as well.

Well, that's old news. Waldo's PD was shut down several years ago by your friendly Alachua County S.O..

There was an article pinned in the thread about the chjanges in Lawtey, trying to get the signs down.

If you speed through the yellow blinking lights, you know..when CHILDREN are crossing the road (301 is a major highway)(as in the OP) you deserve a ticket. The 'Silver Bullet' sits at the elementary school (right on 301) and if you can't see him parked behind a stop sign.....well, not much to be said for that.